Chocolate Can Do It All
by nannygirl
Summary: On Valentine's Day 1980, Jackie is prepared to forget all about one of her favorite holidays until she gets a box of chocolates from someone special. But what happens when her ex-boyfriend sees the gift?


_**Disclaimer:**_ _I own nothing. I do not own That '70s Show or any of it's characters. I do not own any other characters or TV shows that may be mentioned in this story. I own nothing!_

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _Hello everyone! Long time no see huh? How are you? Hope you're doing well! So sorry for being away for so long, the new job is just keeping me very busy and sucking a lot of my time, energy and motivation to write but I'm slowly trying to get it back because I really do miss being on here and writing for these characters. This story is just a quick little oneshot, it's a Valentine's Day one that I had planned to post earlier but then things got busy hopefully you don't mind it being a little late. It takes place after Season 8 and anything else you need to know should be explained in the story. It is Jackie and Red family/friendship kind of story but because Valentine's Day is a day of romance I also threw in some Jackie and Hyde at the end too! I hope you like it! Thank you for stopping by to read and also for the lovely check in messages some of you have sent me, it means so much! *hug* Thanks for reading, please review if you can, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Hope you like and as always, please, Enjoy!_

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 **Chocolate Can Do It All**

 _February 14, 1980_

 _3:34 PM_

"Hey Loud one,"

Jackie lifted her head from the textbooks as she heard the booming voice of the owner of the house and kitchen she was currently studying in. She couldn't study at her apartment because Fez was there with one of his lady friends and while she had originally come to the house to study down in the basement Jackie had quickly nixed the idea when she saw that the only person down there was her ex-boyfriend, Steven Hyde.

She had been ready to take her books over to the library when she'd bumped into Mrs. Forman who had insisted Jackie could do her studying up in the kitchen where she wouldn't be disturbed by Steven or herself since she had to go get ready for her special night out with Red. At first Jackie had been reluctant but then Kitty threw in a plate of chocolate chip cookies, and not even Jackie Burkhart could resist those.

However, while Mrs. Forman had been kind and welcoming at the idea of Jackie turning their kitchen in a study hall, the young woman knew that Mr. Forman would probably not share his wife's enthusiasm.

Gathering her things into one pile on the kitchen countertop, Jackie prepared herself for Mr. Forman's grumble about dumbasses taking over his house but it never came. Confused, and partly worried by the missing grouse, she continued to sit in her seat but twisted her neck to look behind her and saw Red approaching her with a medium sized brown paper sack in his hand.

"Here."

With a wary gaze, Jackie eyed the paper bag Red was holding out to her. She cautiously took the bag into her own hands, not sure what would happen by taking it but even more worried about what would happen if she didn't take it.

"What is it?" she looked at the bag that had been closed up by rolling the open end shut.

It looked like an oversized version of Steven's stash bags but there was no way Red Forman would be handing that stuff out.

"Just open it," he ordered, although his voice had lost some of it's gruffness; in fact, Jackie would have sworn she heard a slight bit of embarrassment in it.

Jackie looked back at the brown bag and examined it from all angles. She couldn't figure out why Mr. Forman had given her this bag that contained something inside it. Had she forgotten something at his shop the other day? Or maybe it was some kind of task he wanted her to do…or maybe…

"Oh my God, is this a present?" Jackie's eyes brightened as she looked up at Red again. "Because if it is, presents are supposed to be wrapped in wrapping paper not put in brown paper bags. And I like my presents wrapped in pink shinny paper…"

Red's forehead bore a deep scowl, "I can take it back, you know."

"No!" she was quick to protest. A badly wrapped gift was better than no gift. "I was just saying for future reference, for future presents you might want to get me," Jackie added on, missing Red's eyeroll when she started hugging the paper sack gift to her chest. "I like this wrapping. Brown in very in right now, very chic."

"Are you gonna open the damn thing or not?"

She nodded her head before getting to work on opening her gift. As she started to unroll the crinkling paper, Red continued to stand off to the side awkwardly stuffing his hands in his pockets, lowering his gaze to the floor, and nervously but subtly shifting in his stance.

Once Jackie had the bag open Red seemed to get even more anxious now that the young woman was closer to finding what was inside.

He cleared his throat loudly, halting Jackie's movements for just a moment. "The other day at the shop you were whining on and on about not looking forward to today…"

"Mr. Forman, I don't whine!" Jackie argued with a faint hint of a whine in her voice, "I confide."

"Call it whatever you want but you were doing a lot of it," retorted Red in his usual grumpy tone, but the big breath he took after seemed to make his tone lose some of its roughness as he went on. "And I know things with you and Tonto didn't work out like you'd thought they would…and let me tell you, you should thankful for that."

A smile cracked its way onto Jackie's pink lips.

Again, Red did a quick clearing of his throat, "The point is, I know you weren't looking forward to spending today alone so…"

Jackie, still listening to the older man's speech, was more interested in finding out what her gift was. Her right hand that remained inside the bag grabbed hold of the item inside and she pulled out her present hidden in the brown wrapping. She felt a warmness in her heart that soon spread all over the moment she saw the red heart shaped box. Jackie looked up at Mr. Forman, the expression on her face showing how surprised, happy and most especially touched she was at this gesture.

"So you bought me a box of Valentine's Day chocolates," she finished his statement for him, her grin stretching when she noticed how embarrassed the usually tough and gruff older man seemed to be. "Oh Mr. Forman, that is so sw…"

The small brunette jumped down from her orange barstool seat, ready to give Mr. Forman a big hug until he placed an open, halting palm in front of her.

"Now, hold on a minute. I didn't _buy_ anything," Red declared and at seeing the young woman's confusion he gave his explanation. "The store was having a sale. You buy one box of chocolates you got the other free. I bought Kitty a box of chocolates and you got the free one."

Normally Jackie made a big deal about the price tag on the gifts she received, she was a girl who liked her gifts big, fancy, and expensive—and wrapped in pink shinny paper! However, much to her own shock, she found herself not caring about the amount of money that went into getting her something as simple as a box of candies. She only cared about the thought that was put in it. It may not have seemed like a lot, Red was just following the sale of getting the extra box of chocolates but he had the thought of giving that extra box to her, and that meant much more to Jackie than any expensive gift wrapped in sparkly pink paper.

This was also the first time that Jackie had ever received a Valentine's Day present that didn't come from a boyfriend, who bought her gifts because the holiday—and Jackie—told him to do so. Jackie wasn't even sure if one could give a Valentine's gift to someone you were or didn't want to be romantically involved with, but she wasn't about to decline the kind gesture.

"Mr. Forman, it doesn't matter how much you spent…or didn't spend on this," she spoke words she never thought she'd hear herself say. Jackie looked down at the box of chocolates in her hands, she just couldn't seem to put them down; she gave Red a smile. "This is the only Valentine's gift I've gotten this year and it's one of the sweetest gift I've _ever_ gotten. Thank you."

Before Red could attempt to stop her, Jackie wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him in a big hug while pressing the left side of her face against his plaid covered chest. Red's reflexive reaction was to go stiff like a tree with his arms acting like the branches up in the air, but after a few moments, he became less uncomfortable, enough to lower his boughs and return Jackie's hug with a few gentle pats on her back.

"Alright, that's enough of that," Red soon declared, grabbing her shoulders to keep her in place while he moved out of her hold. Jackie smiled as she let him go, he didn't smile back though and instead pointed an index finger in her direction. "And don't you going around blabbing this all over town."

"Don't want me ruining your reputation?" she playfully teased.

"I can take care of my reputation on my own," he gruffly reminded her with a scowl appearing above his brows. "What I don't want is the foreigner coming to me looking for his free box of chocolates."

Jackie laughed a bit as she nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, Mr. Forman, your secret's safe with me."

"Good," Red nodded.

And then they just stood there looking at the other and then not looking at the other. Jackie stole a glance at her books while Red tried to look at anything else.

Neither was too sure of what to say. Jackie had plenty of things she wanted to say but knew already that Mr. Forman wouldn't be very comfortable if she started to mushily ramble on. Red on the other hand wasn't sure of what to say next. His plan was just to give the kid the holiday candy and hope it cheered her up a bit. The treat seemed to do the trick; so as far as Red was concerned, his job was done!

"Well," he did another quick clearing of his throat then gave a smirk. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Mr. Forman."

Red kept his smirk in place as he nodded his head before leaving the kitchen in search of his wife and own Valentine.

With Mr. Forman gone, Jackie knew she should return to her studying but she made no motion towards her school work. She simply stood there looking at the garnet colored heart shaped box in her hands…she wondered what kinds of chocolate awaited her. Hopefully more of the caramel kind and less of the icky coconut filled ones.

Fiddling with the ribbon on the box Jackie realized that maybe she did deserve a short little study break.

She swiftly untied the white ribbon and yanked off the lid of the box, sitting herself and her chocolates at the Forman's kitchen table. There were at least twelve different pieces of candy under the brown paper, each looking more delicious than the other.

Because Jackie was so busy trying to decide which piece to each first that she never noticed a curly haired rebel emerging from the below the basement.

"Hey," he called out, noticing her just after he opened the fridge for a pop. "What's with the giant heart?"

Trying not to reveal how much he'd startled her, Jackie nonchalantly replied from over her shoulder. "For your information, Steven, today happens to be Valentine's Day."

"Right, the most famous made up holiday of the year," Hyde stated, shutting the appliance's door. He would have headed back into the basement if he didn't notice the contents of the "heart" shaped box. "Man, Jackie, know you've sent yourself flowers but never thought I'd see you gettin' yourself a box of candy."

Her spine stiffened at the accusation, it was such a fat girl thing to do and Jackie Burkhart was not fat. "Not that it's any of your business but I didn't buy these, someone gave them to me as a Valentine's Day gift."

"Who?"

Jackie stopped herself from saying Mr. Forman when she detected a hint of what sounded like jealousy in her ex's tone. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up she thought to herself, biting the inside of her cheeks to keep her smile from appearing.

"Oh you know," she shrugged, playing it cool and Zen—with a bit of wickedness thrown into the mix. "Just someone special."

"Yeah?" Hyde's eyebrow arched up and he peeked into the candy box. "Judging from the fact none of the pieces are missing, I'm guessin' that someone special ain't Fez."

She slowly shook her head, "It wasn't Fez."

"Do I know him?" Hyde asked before he could stop himself.

"Maybe you do," A sly mischievous smile was playing on her lips. "Maybe you don't."

It soon dawned on Hyde that Jackie was messing with him or at least trying to. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of letting her think she'd gotten to him and he definitely wasn't going to give her any of his time for any of her games.

"Enjoy your chocolates," he muttered and then headed for the basement door again.

Watching his retreating backside Jackie realized maybe this wasn't the best way to handle this. Sure, she'd wanted to rile Steven up a bit but she didn't really want him to leave; especially when he'd been the one to start up the conversation with her—and not with a sort of insult.

"Steven, wait!" Jackie called out and though he was quick to stop his footsteps it took another few seconds before he turned to back at her. When Hyde did look back at Jackie he found her holding out the heart shaped box towards him. "Do you want some?"

Beneath his aviator shades, Hyde's eyes moved from the chocolate to Jackie's face and then back to the candies again. He still wasn't sure who this _someone_ _special_ was who had given her the gift but if she was willing to share it with him, her ex-boyfriend, this _someone_ _special_ couldn't be someone Jackie was feeling too serious about. It was this thought that made Hyde become the one who had to contain his smirk.

"Alright, cool," he agreed, grabbed a chocolate, and then much to Jackie's surprise, went to sit beside her at the table.

Jackie gave him a beaming smile and he gave her a faint smirk. However, when Hyde took a bite of the candy piece he'd chosen the smirk he had on turned into a look of disgust which made Jackie grow worried. Maybe there was a reason for that buy one get one free sale!

"What's wrong?"

Hyde grimaced at the half-eaten candy in his hand, "Got a caramel one."

She rolled her eyes at his overreaction and took a bite of her own truffle. "Ew!" her face scrunched with repulsion. "Coconut."

"Trade ya?" Hyde held out his chocolate with the missing chunk.

The offer surprised Jackie at first but she soon shrugged it off and wordlessly traded her chocolate candy with Steven. He plopped the piece into his mouth while Jackie took a gentle nibble off her candy savoring the sweet sticky caramelly filling and being able to sit comfortably beside Steven Hyde, no insults, no ugly tension or awkwardness, just enjoying the other's company and a box of chocolates.

Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad Valentine's Day after all.

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 _ **Author's Note:**_ _So what did you think? Yay? Nay? A little bit of both?_

 _This is the first complete anything I've written in a while and I hope it turned out okay with storyline and character voices. Very sorry if things felt a bit off, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things._

 _Still working on my other stories and hope to have keep hold of this motivation and update something soon! *fingers crossed*_

 _Until next time, thanks for reading, hope you liked, please review and lemme know what you think, stay tuned, take care, and have a nice day!_


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